Brrr--fall was really waiting in the wings this year. We've barely finished putting away the beach towels, and already there's a kiss of frost in the morning air.
Real talk? We're not all that mad about it.
As much as we hate to say goodbye to summer, we're ready to dive into the wild wonder of autumn in the Keweenaw Peninsula. Here are the top 5 things we've been looking forward to:
The Return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte
If it's wrong to 'ship the #PSL, we don't want to be right. Call it lowbrow, call it basic, call it bougie...sip it on a brisk and blustery afternoon, and you'll call it f*cking delicious. And if we may say so, KCW's take on this modern classic--with real pumpkin purée, maple syrup, and a shake of dark and bitter spices--will convert any Third Wave poser into an apple-picking, flannel scarf-wearing, leaf pile-jumping fall fanboy.
Our pumpkin spice latte, known as the Skellington, is accompanied by a slate of comeback fall favorites, including Rishi Chai Cider, Caramel Apple Cold Brew, and the Kahlo, a mocha made with Mexican-style Katherine-Anne chocolate. Dark, complex, spicy-sweet--these are the flavors we live for.
Speaking of which...
Fall Doughnut Flavors
The weekend doughnut bar at our Calumet cafe is a local institution. And if we do say so ourselves, no season does doughnuts better than autumn. Toasty spices, earthy sweetness, the winey tang of fall apples, the velvety texture of winter squash...add a morning with a kiss of frost in the air and pffff! Forget about it.
Our fall donut flavors kicked off last Saturday with a tasty trio that included Sugared Apple Cider, Pumpkin Chai, and Salted Maple. Stay tuned to our Instagram for next weekend's batch.
Harvest From Our Local Farms
The Keweenaw’s local farms are exploding with a final flush of gorgeous seasonal produce. From the wild tang of heirloom apples to the caramelly sweetness of winter squash to the bitter punch of end-of-season kale and chard. Our pals at North Harvest CSA, Minnie Farms and Superior Mycology are showing off their stuff in rare form. Sweet Parisian carrots, silky-textured Cinderella pumpkins, and steaky shiitakes are our current fall produce obsessions.
Autumn Road Trips
Our photographer pal Amanda Taivalkoski recently posted a photo (above) that got us all googly-eyed about getting lost on the back roads of the Upper Peninsula. And while we love leaf peeping as much as the next person, the kind of autumn drive we’re really jonesing for features rain-polished roads, pearl-textured clouds, and thick mist threading through the trees. Bring along the camera, a moody playlist, and a thermos filled with a robust dark roast, and it’s enough to make you say, “Summer who?”
Back-to-School Season
The magic of autumn gets an undeniable boost from the whole “back to school” vibe. Doesn’t hurt that our tiny peninsula has more than its share of academic institutions, many with beautiful historic architecture (like our local Calumet high school just down the road). We love seeing MTU students turn our cafe into a study hall, parents bringing their kids in for an after-school treat, and families stopping by to fuel up before the football game. It brews up a heady nostalgia that we just can’t resist.
If you’d like to indulge in some collegiate nostalgia, hook up your favorite student with a coffee subscription! It’s the easiest care package you’ll ever send. Click here to check out our subscription options.
What's got you stoked on the arrival of autumn? Drop us a comment here or on our Instagram @keweenawcoffee.